A Network for a Small Office of 10 People: What You Need, How to Plan It and Which Mistakes to Avoid So the Network Doesn't Get in the Way

A small office network usually appears haphazardly: the provider installs its router, staff connect over Wi-Fi, someone buys an extension for a network cable, and the printer is connected to one of the computers. With three people, it works. With ten, the problems start: Wi-Fi slows down, the printer "disappears", shared files live on the accountant's computer — and when they're off sick, nobody can open them. Let's look at how to plan and build a network for a 10-person office that works for years and doesn't get in the way of the business.

What an office network consists of

• A router — the connection to the provider, address assignment, protection from the outside world and a VPN for remote work. For an office, a business-class model or a reliable high-end home router is better than the basic one from the provider.
• A switch — the central point where cables from desks, the printer, the NAS and access points come together. Gigabit, with ports to spare.
• Wi-Fi access points — for laptops, phones and guests. In an office, one or two ceiling-mounted access points are usually better than a powerful router in a corner.
• Cabling — runs to every desk, the printer and the access points, network sockets and a tidy cabinet or shelf for the equipment.
• A UPS — for the router, switch and NAS, so short power cuts don't interrupt work.

Cable or Wi-Fi for desks

For fixed desks in an office, cable is best: stability, speed and no "my internet's gone" just before an important report goes out. Wi-Fi is needed for laptops in meetings, staff phones and guests. If you're renovating, run two cables to each desk and one to a spot for a ceiling access point: it's cheaper than redoing it later.

Shared files and backups

Keeping shared documents on one employee's computer is a bad idea: they switch it off or fall ill and there's no access; their drive fails and the whole office's work is lost. The best options are a NAS with per-employee access rights or the organisation's cloud storage. Either way, automatic backups must be set up, including an off-site copy. Pay special attention to 1C databases and accounting software: they need daily copies that are checked.

Printer and scanner

A network printer or MFP connects to the switch by cable and gets a fixed address. Then everyone can print without depending on a colleague's computer being switched on, and scans go straight into the right folders or to email.

Security

• A separate guest network for clients and staff's personal phones.
• Strong passwords for Wi-Fi and the router admin, WPS turned off, firmware up to date.
• Accounts and permissions — each employee has their own access to folders; access is removed when they leave.
• Remote access via VPN, not remote desktop ports exposed to the internet.
• Antivirus and updates on every computer.

Common mistakes

• One home router from the provider for the whole office, sitting in a corner.
• Shared files on one employee's computer, with no backups.
• A chain of several routers, each handing out its own addresses.
• Cables strewn across the floor and running under doors.
• One Wi-Fi password for staff, guests and former staff.
• No network diagram or password list — every new technician starts from scratch.

Documentation

A simple network diagram, a table of device addresses and a password list kept safely by the manager save a great deal of time and money with any fault or change of contractor. It's worth doing straight away when the network is built.

Budget

For a 10-person office the main costs are a router, a gigabit switch, one or two access points, cable and sockets plus installation, a UPS, and a NAS with drives. Mid-range equipment will last 5–7 years. Skimping on it usually means downtime: an hour of a ten-person office not working costs more than the difference between cheap and reliable equipment.

What our technician does

1. Surveys the office, finds out what you need and how many desks there are, and draws up a network plan.
2. Selects equipment to suit your budget: router, switch, access points, NAS and UPS.
3. Runs cables, fits sockets and mounts the equipment in a cabinet or on a shelf.
4. Sets up the network, Wi-Fi, guest network, VPN, shared folders, printer and backups.
5. Hands over the network diagram, address table and passwords, and maintains the network afterwards if needed.

A real example

A travel agency on Rustaveli Avenue had grown from four to eleven staff, but the network had stayed the same: the provider's router, Wi-Fi through two walls and shared files on the director's computer. Every day someone lost their connection, and one Friday evening, when the director switched off his computer, nobody could open client bookings. Our technician ran cables to the desks and installed a switch, a ceiling access point, a router with a VPN and a separate guest network, a NAS with daily cloud backups and a UPS. Now files are available to everyone at any time, and staff can work from home.

Call a technician

If you're opening an office or want to sort out your existing network, we'll come to any district of Tbilisi around the clock. Learn more on our local network installation, local network setup and network cable installation pages.